YouTube users watch less TV

1 in 3 people who say they frequently watch YouTube videos say that they watch less TV because of their online video habit. That's according to a recent poll by Harris Interactive.

Two thirds of frequent YouTube viewers say they're sacrificing some other activity to watch videos, which shouldn't be surprising because it's hard to watch a video while you're reading a book. The number one activity folks say they give up to spend time on YouTube is visiting other websites, with television ranking second on the sacrificed activity list.

Does this mean that audiences are giving up traditional television for YouTube? Not exactly. While 42% of Amercian adults say they've watched a video on YouTube, only about 16% of respondents to the Harris poll say they visit YouTube regularly. And does this mean that advertisers should start pouring money into pre-roll YouTube commercials? Maybe not. 73% of those regular viewers say they're less likely to watch videos if they have commercials. Of course, we'll see if that's actually the case once Google actually starts placing pre-roll ads on YouTube content.